Hey, Michelle. Jesse, here. I know, I know. You used to call me Charlot but the Jettes thought Jesse suited me better. Frankly, I like it. It makes me feel like a tough guy. (That's funny—me a tough guy?) And the alliteration is nice... Jesse Jette. I could have done worse, I suppose. I knew a guy once who was adopted with the name Butch and they changed it to Pearl. Boy, do we tease him!) Anyway I've been here a few weeks now and am having a blast. The two kids have been just great. They've been kind and loving—I've hardly had to bite them at all! (Just kidding.) The six-year-old—his name is James—is the cutest thing! He loves to hug me. (I don't mind, either.) The girl, Melanie Rose, is 11 and is the one who taught me to lift my paw. like doing what she says as it puts a smile on her beautiful face. I think the family was a bit surprised at my behaviour when I arrived. They must have been expecting the worst because they are all so happy that I am quiet, mindful, playful and happy. They tell all their friends am the perfect dog! I am trained to tell them when I want outside (No kidding! What did they expect?) and they've taught me a few new tricks as well including Sit, Stay, Paw, Come, Down, and Get me a Beer. (Actually I'm still working on the Get me a Beer thing. I'm finding the twist-offs a little tricky.) At first they talked about keeping me off the beds. (They talked like I wasn't in the room. I don't think they know I actually speak human. Don't tell them, okay?) That didn't last long. Now, they all fight over who gets to host me for the night. Mom and dad usually win as they have some big pillows I love to snuggle. My vet says I am in excellent health and was surprised to hear came from a rescue. She said I must have been treated very well (I was—thanks!). I'm being walked regularly. Mom usually does it but the kids like to come along when they can. Well, I should run along. If dad catches me using his email account, I'm in trouble. Thanks, again, for everything, Michelle. Say hi to everyone for me! Hugs and kisses. Jesse Jette

Letter from our doggy! Hi there. My name is Nora or Lorna as I was known before I was adopted just a little over a year ago. I was rescued from a puppy mill in Quebec, where I had been responsible for producing many puppies that I have never seen since. However, one day I was rescued from my captivity and found my way to the Navan Animal Rescue . After a short while there, I was adopted by a couple from the area who already had an older dog, (15 years old) who were looking for a companion for their pet and another friend for them. While I was always comfortable on any lap I could find, I was also a four to five year-old who was like a puppy as I had never experienced life outside my puppy mill surroundings. My new parents were very excited to have me join their family, and understood there could be a long period of adjustment as everything was new to me, from being in a loving home environment to being, well, outdoors. I didn't know what it was like to take a walk, run free in a yard, to feel rain or snow on me or to feel dirt, pavement, or other sensations on my paws. These were all foreign and at times scary to me and caused me consternation and apprehension. However, I always had a lap, or bed or pillow I could cuddle up on and slowly learn about being a normal dog. At the outset, I had to have surgery to be neutered, have a large growth removed from my belly, and have some teeth extracted as they were really rotten. Later, I had a few more teeth removed and then I started to feel a lot better. I slowly learned about the outdoors, the seasons, rain and snow, sun, night and day. I experienced the sensations on my paws of lawn, pavement, gravel, beach sand, wet, dry and everything in between. I have become accustomed to regular walks, meals and a growing number of friends and admirers. While I still have the occasional setback to my house training, my family are really understanding of my past, and are slowly bringing me along. I know they love me because they give me lots or hugs and kisses as well as my choice or leisure spots during the day and beds at night. Sometimes I sleep on the covers, and other nights under the covers, sort of like hide and seek. During the day and chew on cheweez and nap in my bed in the living room. On sunny days, I will stroll around the house looking for a bright sun to soak up some rays. I have been on holidays trips, to the beach and to meet some family members and have even taken part in a Hawaiian party as the enclosed pictures will show. I know I am not the "perfect" pet because I am still learning many things, but my family treats me like I fit in perfectly with their hopes of what I would be and what I would add to their family. I want to thank Michele for giving me the opportunity to become the dog I have grown to be. It if wasn't for her, I would never have been given the chance. I am proof that you should never give up on a dog at first look. I hope to bring many years of joy and companionship to my adoptive family, and satisfaction to Michele because she was the first person to show faith in me and what I could be, what I have become and what I will be. I love my new life and am still learning every day. Without the chance I was given, well, I might never have gotten this far, if you know what I mean. Whew, I am one lucky girl to have had someone who believed in me. Thanks Michele. Love always, Nora(Lorna)

Seasons greetings Michelle: Just thought I'd give you an update on our beautiful princess Bella (Samantha). We adopted Bella on Aug 30, 2008. She was sick with a puppy mill parasite but still the sweetest little thing (well she wasn't really little being a standard poodle pup). It took our poor Bella two months to get rid of all the health issues that the awful puppy mill had inflicted on her. She has since grown into a healthy happy dog that has given us endless hours of joy and love. Everyone who meets Bella wants to know where we got such a beautiful gentle fantastic dog. Then they get to hear me sing the praise of NARC. After all, who would get up in the middle of the night, drive to Montreal to pick up four dirty sick puppies and then do everything in their power to nurse them back to health and find loving homes for them. NARC has done that countless times. I just want to thank you again Michelle for saving our little girl from a puppy mill that August night. Your kind and loving actions provide our family with the funniest, silly, most adored puppy princess in the world! There is no way to express on paper how much we love our Bella! We will be forever grateful to NARC. Merry Christmas Darren, Glenda, Leslie, Katie and Bella BooBoo!

They certainly came out of their shell here at NARC, loved attention, being held and cradled and certainly learnt about treats pretty quickly! All are just beautiful, hair growning back, gaining weight daily and just joys to be around.

He is with his new family and they are enjoying him as much as we did here.

Sweet girl, always has her tongue sticking out which is quite cute! Loves cuddles and attention but has difficulty getting around. We are working with her daily, she is on antibiotics and we hope she comes around soon.

Letter from her new family: Hi Michelle, Caramel has settled in nicely so far. She is such a nice dog! She slept on the blanket on the car ride home, had a little walk around the block, ate some food, and now she is snuggled up next to me on the couch, sleeping away... Such a sweetheart! Thank you! Pamela

We will miss you my love, our prayers are with you daily and you will always have a part in our heats! We are so very happy to have met and loved you and wish you would have stayed on earth with us much longer... Love NARC staff.

Letter from his new mom: Salut Michèle, Tous va bien avec Josh (tommy). When I brought him home on Friday night, before I had a chance to get into the house, my big dog was licking his face. They get along really well. Josh follows me everwhere and was very sociable when I had some friends over for a party. He sleeps with me every night and has the run of the house when I am home. I put him in a crate when I am not home and the big dog lays down on the floor beside the crate. I gave Josh one of the toys that Sugar (my big dog) doesn't play with because it's too small and when I had him on my lap, Sugar brought him the toy and put it on my lap beside him. He is doing really well and is adjusting bettter than I thought he would. I am so happy to have him. I will bring him for a visit if you would like to see him. I am off during the Christmas holidays so I don't mind visiting you with him. He is in great hands! Lorraine

Letter from her new family: Hi Michelle, Here are some happy photos of Lulu. Each day she is becoming more and more comfortable with her new surroundings and her new, somewhat whacky family! Her all time favorite thing is to go for long walks and decide which way she's going to take us!! At the end of it all she loves to stretch out on the couch and nap! Each day we try to bring her on one new adventure that takes her out of her comfort zone to help her learn that from now on nothing bad is going to happen. She is slowly gaining confidence and trusting that these new people and this new place will only be treating her like a princess!! She's has captured all of our hearts and we are so grateful that she is now a part of our family!! Thanks again for your wonderful work!!! Kareen

Hi Michelle Here is a quick up date on Bear (Troy). As you can see the name Bear jump out at us all as we were playing with our newest family member. That way we can call him our little grizzly bear, our teddy bear and yes so many more. Bear has taken to us very well and had so many new firsts for us, such as we heard him do a little bark the other day. Bear has so much energy now, which is different from the day we met him. He is playing fetch and yes he brings it back. He is an on going concern, check this out, checking that out sniffing here and there. We as a family go on walks and outings together, such as to ball games, the park, car rides, the beach, camping and the even to my school to help me set up my classroom. He has become a very curious puppy trying to learn new things such as going up and down stairs on his own. Bear enjoys his new dog mate, which is Cujo and tries to get Cujo to play all the time. Bear is absolutely a fantastic puppy with so much character and we love him very much. Michelle you have done so much to get Bear prepared and ready to be adopted and most of it I am sure we couldn't imagine. Seeing what you have to see in this line of work, you are a wonderful person for doing what you do. The stories you told were enough to make us want to cry but with someone such as yourself and your organization in the world, at least some animals receive the love due them. We will continue to send updates on Bear and wish to thank you once again for being a large part of bring this adorable gift from God into our families life. Bradley Hi Michelle, Just a quick note to let you know that Maxine (now named Molly) has settled in wonderfully. She’s such a calm relaxed girl and is getting along great with her two new brothers. Enclosed is a pic of her after a nice bath and brush. Please keep us informed about Cuddles. I trust that once her scabies is all cleared up you’ll be socializing with the other animals? As we said yesterday, we’re more than willing to wait as long as necessary to ensure she comes to us healthy and happy. We’re very excited about her coming to live with us and giving her a wonderful life. Stay in touch! :o) John

Letter from her new family: HI, Thanks so much, she is doing so well! We love her to bits and she and my other dog Ally are playing in the yard as I type this. SHe is learning all sorts of new things and building her strength and stamina. Thanks so muc for your good work that allows dogs like Lace to be placed, we renamed her Gabriella, Gabby for short. She is a doll! The vet thought she was between 3 and years old, I am not sure how they tell their age but it doesn't really matter I guess. Thanks again, and thanks for the records susan

Not ready for adoption yet but we have a few families lined up for her! The other rescue will decide where she goes as we are just here helping them out!

Hi Michèlle, Well, I can certainly understand why you miss Lyla. She is absolutely the sweetest dog. Eleanor calls her a little miracle, which pretty well says it all. When she arrived on Saturday she first explored the whole yard and found herself a few favourite spots. Of course, Toni followed right after her, peeing over wherever Lyla went. By Sunday morning Lyla had learned to step up onto our deck (1 step), and by Tuesday she was climbing the front porch (3 steps). I made her a folding ramp this morning, which I'll try later, for her to walk from our porch into the car. I've been taking Lyla to Larose Forest everyday with Toni, and just let her walk as far as she feels like (on pine needles and sand). She then settles down for a nap under some trees, and seems pretty keen on staying put! So I've gotten some practice with her on the leash leading her back to the car. She can now actually follow me on her own, or if she's not sure where we're going, she'll follow on a pretty loose leash. She's eating well, sleeping well, and seems very happy. Toni's having a little trouble, though. I think she's a little threatened by the new kid, but I'm sure she'll come around. Best wishes to you, and thanks for the wonderful start you made with Lyla. I'll be in touch again soon, but now I must rush as Toni and Lyla are waiting for their trip to Larose. Charles

Dear Michelle, Just dropping you a line to let you know we are enjoying Eve so much. She is still very timid but getting braver everyday. She has a real challenge here with all the children and such different personalities, some are quieter and slower than others and one in particular kind but moves quickly. So! Eve has to adapt to everyone and is doing so in her own time. We couldn't love a dog more, I'm convinced our match with her was ment to be. She will soon learn how much we care for her and she will learn to trust us and know we will keep her safe. We only hope she is able to put some of her early life behind her and truly be happy. You can be sure we will give it our all, our best shot in making her truly happy and loves. She sure is doing her job and making us happy. She is a FANTASTIC little lady! By the way we changed her name to "Mouse" as she seemed to perk up when we called her this. Thanks again for seeing us and helping us choose the best dog for us. This was meant to be! I will keep in touch. Nancy, Roger, Tori, Jenny, Kids & "Mouse"

Letter from her new parents: Hi Michelle, I wanted to let you know that Peanut is much improved. The vet has decided to decrease her dose of antibiotics as she had been getting a double dose every day, She is only coughing sporadically now and very little discharge from her nose. She really is looking a lot better & has tons more energy. Our vet exects that Peanut will be entirely recovered in 2-3 weeks. We had her heartworm test done (and it was negative) but we have decided to wait for the rest of her vaccines. The vet thought it would be better for her to build up her strength first. We also did a hearing test & the vet agrees that as we suspected she is deaf (or almost). This could be why she startles with sudden movements. We are very used to this however since our last dog was deaf. I think it was just meant to be that we find this little girl. Once again thank you so much as without you she would not have made it into our lives. I am attaching a couple of photos we took this weekend of Peanut lounging in the backyard. Kim

Hi Michelle; Just wanted to give you a recent picture, and update from us. Lucky (now named Toby) is loving his new home. It took about 3 days after his operation and all to settle in. He loves to chase the ball, and does all sorts of neat tricks. He knows when you take the leash out, to sit pretty, because he knows it's his walk time. Running a daycare means he always has someone to throw the ball to him. He loves the snow, and we have certainly had enough for him to play in. The fenced backyard is his domaine. The snow banks are so high that he is able to jump over the fence... needless to say he is not happy having a leash on until the snow melts. He loves when his little friend Bailey (9 mth old shih-tzu) comes over.. it took some time before they became friends. What a lovely pet he is, and we are truly glad we found you and him! Thanks Denyse and Dennis

Michelle, Bless your heart for that INCREDIBLE lead and bless Bobbie for getting this out to you!! Tripod is now at Suzanne (Suzie) and Steve's in what surely is an idyllic setting for any dog and will be so especially appreciated by this sweet, hard-luck boy. We had two long conversations last night with Suzie (myself and my rescue "mentor," Debbie) and we decided to bring Tri out this afternoon. He's got 1/2 acre of carefully fenced land to covort on with his 5 (!) other canine friends (all rescues) who were (3 little guy/gals and 2 big ones--a guy & gal) INCREDIBLY welcoming! This is a pristine home with a great couple in early retirement. They hava an additional 10 acres and a big red barn in a great setting just across the street from the river. Suzie was so anxious to meet her "new child" that she went to the bathroom "25 times" before we arrived, according to her husband. We prepared a foster to adopt agreement but from the second he arrived they were certain he was there to stay. I can't imagine a better home and feel VERY good about it working. Tri has been my passion the last 6 weeks and, for Debbie the past few. Another woman, Ruth, has been looking after Tri since Kathy went to the hospital and it was a tearful parting when we drove off...I will go out to see him on Wednesday, to follow up and mainly to let him know (as I explained to him) that he wasn't being abandoned and that he was now going to be in a great home and never have be lonesome or have any more bad treatment for the rest of his days... I called the vet this morning before we decided to head out after they told us these were wonderful people who took excellent care of their dogs. Tri did very well on the trip and in the house. Suzanne and Steve had set up a beautiful sleeping area in an alcove with a new bed (!) for Tri. We also left the sleeping bag that he travelled on in the back seat with Deb and the t-shirt I took off and left with him (for the smell). On the way back Suzie called us on the cell to let us know that they were looking for Tri and found him in the master bedroom, snoozing between their bed and a computer table nearby. So they packed up his bed, the sleeping bag and the t-shirt and put all that between the bed and the computer table. Tri climbed aboard and went to sleep. It doesn't get much better! Hugs all around! (I will be in touch again soon and will send out a memo soon to all the kind folks who've shown interest. Warmly, Lawrence

Hi Michelle, How are you? Just wanted to give you an update on Kanouk. She is an amazing little girl. She is full of life and loves to be around people. I am a hairstylist so people come and go here at home and she is always there to great everyone at the door. She has now learnt to climb the stairs and get in and out of the car. She still doesn't like the hardwood floors but we bought her two small runner carpets to put down and that seems to help. She is now fully recovered from her spay and teeth and all done her medication. Believe it or not she is barking up a storm. Not very loud but there none the less. I can't believe how much this little thing has changed our life in just 10 days. What you have done to change these dogs lives is amazing. She has had a few visits to PetSmart and she loves it (not for the treats she gets but for the other dogs and people). If you could send us the rest of her paperwork, you can consider her adopted. Thank you so much for everything. Sincerely, Genevieve & Andre

Hey Michelle!! Just wanted to give you an update on Owen, the Manchester Terrior mix I adopted from you. He is such a sweetheart...BIG cuddler!!! His house training is going extremely well, he still has some accidents but that's expected as he's still a pup! He's got one more of his shots to go, and as soon as he hits 6 months he'll be getting neutered. I've been trying to teach him some commands, and he now knows how to sit!! He's growing too..about 16 pounds now!! He's getting tons of love here, and even has a brother! We also adopted a very well dispositioned 3 year old bull massif/ chow mix..he's come to be quite protective of his little brother, Owen! And they play together for hours at a time. I've attached some pictures for you to see how he's doing! There are a few pictures with his brother, Bear..and his friend Austin (a purebread Rottweiler, who's also only about 3 1/2 months and they get along great! The look identical too!) I want to thank you for the opportunity to adopt this little guy..I've never been happier!! Ashley

Bonjour Michèlle, Juste un petit mot pour te dire que Clyde se porte très bien. Il devient très attaché à moi mais aime beaucoup l’attention qu’il reçoit des enfants. Il fait encore caca deux ou trois fois par jour même si nous n’avons pas changé sa diète mais je crois que c’est normal : c’est quand même un troisième changement de maison pour lui en quelques mois et il doit se poser bien des questions. Ce matin, nous l’avons amené au parc et il s’est bien amusé à courir après la balle. Il n’a pas vraiment compris qu’il devait la ramener mais c’était bien de voir son côté enjoué ressortir. Sinon, je l’amène partout avec moi et il ne me quitte pas des yeux. Les enfants l’adorent. À bientôt Véronique Bonjour Michèlle! La fin de semaine avec Clyde s’est bien passée. Il nous a accompagné à une vente de garage hier et s’est comporté comme un vrai « gentleman »! Il s’est intégré à notre famille avec aisance et nous voyons sa personnalité ressortir un peu plus à chaque jour. Il a encore eu un petit accident ce matin et fait encore caca trois fois par jour mais nous le sortons régulièrement et il commence à comprendre où est la porte (et à quoi elle sert!). Nous aimerions beaucoup finaliser la procédure d’adoption. Comment aimerais-tu procéder? Nous pouvons revenir à la ferme ou t’inviter chez nous à ta convenance. À bientôt Véronique

Hey neighbour, Izzie is now living in a household with a few men and 2 other germans, she loves to go for runs and dips in the river. She plays every day with the other two dogs and is good with people. She just adores me (her MAN handler) and will follow me everywhere! Thank you, she is a great dog - come see her anytime! Serge

Hi Michelle. Just a little note to say Shadow is doing fine. He slept a lot of the car ride and I suspect that he'd go home with anyone right now. As I'm typing this he's sitting at my feet with a squeaky plush toy having fun and farting up a storm. Man the dog let's them rip !!! He's getting along okay with the other 2 dogs but he doesn't run and play which is really wierd. The 4 year old we have is going for little runs and teasing him to run along but Shadow doesn't follow. I suspect in a week or so he'll feel more comfortable and maybe then he'll try. He'd rather be with people than other dogs it seems. Thanks for Shadow. Grant.

Hi Michelle, Just wanted to let you know that Bugsy is doing really well and we're really happy with him. He is very sweet, and so funny! His hair is growing back in nicely and he's gained some weight, so he's looking good. He loves to go for runs in the dog park and play with all the other dogs. I attached a picture for you. Thanks a lot. Alison and Dave

Hi Michele, I just wanted to send you some thanks for our beautifull puppy. Mika is a bundle of joy and has adapted to her new family and home within a few days. She is house trained and I have taught her to sit, shake paws and settle. Smart Puppy!!!!. Hope all is well on the farm and thank you for bringing extra sunshine into our lives. Take care, Marie-Josee

Hi Michèlle, Just wanted to give you a quick update on Jewels!!! She is doing REALLY well, loving her back yard and some new toys. She is dying to play with our two cats, but the cats aren't quite sure what to make of her just yet (we are sure they will come around soon!). Jewels has been to the dog park a couple of times, and is always excited to meet new friends. She is walking better on the leash, and learning to heel. She is eating and sleeping well and (we hope) enjoying her new family!!! She is such a good girl, you have done such a wonderful job with her! Thank you so much for our new special girl! Bree & Mike

Hey Michelle, Just wanted to let you know that Jake had a great first night. Slept in his new crate in our room, next to our bed and slept pretty much the whole night. Mike had to take him out to pee at 1am, b/c he scratched to come out. Thank you again for everything. Jake is in great hands. Kelly, Mike, Bennet and Lane I will send you an update in the next couple of weeks.

Hi Michelle, I hope you've had a good weekend (minus all this crappy rain). Ryan and I wanted to let you know that things are still going extremely well with our little love-bug, Winston. He has been nothing but a perfect gentleman since we picked him up from your farm Friday evening. So far we've only had to deal with one "moment" where he scared us by growling his devil growl! Haha. Everything is so new to him, we could hardly blame him, but have now given him the second name of "Skittles" (thanks to his one moment of skittish behaviour!). This morning I was able to use the "Couche!" command at 5:30am, which gave me an extra THREE HOURS of sleep! When he bounded back onto the bed at 8:30, Ry and I figured it was time to wake up anyway, since we had a big day ahead of us! Winston has now met his grandparents on both sides, as well as his half-sister, Harlea (the beagle), AND two of his grandma's cats (We were in shock that he didn't even try to chase them!). He's also been flower shopping at the market (everyone LOVED him!) and visited his new friend Logan (a friend of mine's dog). I was amazed at how patient and kind he was all day. Really, your training is shining through every time we ask him to do something. Plus, your advice over the phone was SO helpful! When we arrived home today, Winston was full of mud - head to paws! He was such a good boy for us when we put him in the laundry basin and gave him his first bath here at home. No word of a lie, it was incredible. No barking, no biting, no whining, no fighting. You could tell by the look on his face that he wasn't impressed with the idea, but he wasn't terribly annoyed with it either. After his bath, we towel dried him with his new towel (complete with paw prints all over it!) then sat back and watched the show! There is no carpet that has been left untouched! He slithered around on each and every piece of space he could find... I'll send you pictures since we documented the day from beginning to end! As I type this, Winston is fast asleep in his dog bed which is surrounded by many of his toys. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw him running around collecting all of his new presents and putting them right beside his bed! He seems to be enjoying his time with us so far - we can tell by the amount of snuggling he now wants! Sometimes I look at him and can tell that he's lonely for his life with you and all of his animal friends, but it's a big adjustment for him, so we just pet him and talk to him when he seems a bit blue. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that he thinks of you and all that you've done for him frequently. You've helped him grow into such a brilliant little boy that not only he, but also WE have so many things to thank you for! Thank you for being such a wonderful earth angel, Michelle! Without people like you, amazing animals like Winston would have never had a chance at realizing their true potential and to feel what it's really like to be loved unconditionally! We are so thankful for you and for our new furry alarm clock! Much love, Angela, Ryan & Winston

Hi Michelle, Things are great with Sam! He's a wonderful dog, and already I couldn't even think of not having him around. He has brought a lot of joy into my life, and you certainly seem to have done a great job raising him. We enjoy taking walks down the trail near the apartment building, and running around playing with his toys when we're inside. We've both become very attached to each other over the past couple of months and neither of us are big fans of being without the other. He's never very impressed when I leave, even for a few minutes and is always ecstatic when I come home. You're always welcome to come visit us whenever you want Michelle, and it is good to hear from you. Keep in touch. Vanessa.

Hi Michèlle. I just wanted to drop you a quick line to let you know that Skye's fitting in really well with our family. She's such a sweetheart - you couldn't have come up with a better match for us. She's super smart - she knows her commands in French (it took us several days to figure out the trigger words, but boy, once we did, she responded right away!) She's completely house-trained, not one accident, not even the first night. She's also super sweet. When all the kids (sometimes up to 9 at a time) were running around and playing with her, not once did she get flustered or too excited. I've got to tell you though, after all that playtime with all those kids, when Skye decided to take a nap, it was a very very long nap! :) She and the cat haven't yet become best of buddies, although we've had them both in the same room. I don't think we'll have any major problems, once the cat decides to give Skye a chance. When Skye saw the cat, she didn't show any signs of aggression whatsoever. I think she just wants to play with Pippin (the cat). We've come up with a compromise for now: At night, Skye sleeps with David, and Pippin gets the run of the house. During the day, Pippin hides and sleeps and Skye gets the run of the house. Seems to be working for everyone! Thanks again for matching us up with this sweet little girl. It's only been 4 days, and we're already in love with her! You're doing great work, Michèlle. Thanks!!!!

Hi Michelle, Gizmo seems to be fitting in quite nicely at her new home. The first night she was SUCH a good girl, but she seemed really scared and quiet, as was to be expected. We bought some food for her on the way home, and she was quite happy to eat. Friday we took her to my parents (in Kingston) for her first Easter dinner (weekend). There she met Dakota, my parents boxer who is 5 and Maurice my sister's Bouvier who is around the same age as Gizmo. Gizmo seemed to take a liking to Maurice (I think it's her new boyfriend). She really came out of her shell over the weekend, she was playing so well with the other doggies, and fit in so well with the 2 large family gatherings that we had. Everyone loved her and could not believe how sweet and well behaved she was, so we've shared your name with many of our jelous relatives who also quickly fell inlove with our new little baby girl. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures to share with you of her in her new home, but know that she seems quite happy, and is truly being spoiled with lots of toys, treats, and love. She enjoyed her trip to PETCETERA where she picked out a few little toys she liked. We just want to thank you again for such a sweet, loving, and well trained little angel. She is everything we were looking for and more. If you ever come across any other boxers, please let us be the first to know, as I know of a few people who would love to have one. Keep up your wonderful efforts, and please feel free to keep in touch. All the best with everything, thanks again. Becky and Lucas

Lucy is great and our daughter just loves her. She sleeps with our daughter every night, is very friendly and just loves attention. Thank you for our beautiful Lucy.

Chico is doing fine! He didn't even cry the first night, he just passed out with us. He is so well mannered that people can't believe he came from a rescue shelter...He's also very curious about our budgie, but it doesn't seem to bother him...Anyway....keep up the good work, because I am passing on the good name of NARC from now on...talk to you later Alex

Hey Michelle, Just wanted to let you know that Jake had a great first night. Slept in his new crate in our room, next to our bed and slept pretty much the whole night. Mike had to take him out to pee at 1am, b/c he scratched to come out. Thank you again for everything. Jake is in great hands. Kelly, Mike, Bennet and Lane I will send you an update in the next couple of weeks.

Hi Michelle, Just a quick update, Snickers (Chico's new name) is doing amazingly well. He has only barked twice, quite attached to us, no messes in the house. I will continue to send you recent updates Kim

It took a while but Buddy is finally settleling in. The first few days he wouldn't eat and was very shy towards us,he would go into the crate on his own and wouldn't come unless we took him out, we had to shut the door and take it off the floor and he would just stand there in one spot. The first day for us to go back to work was the turning point had a little accident in the crate which meant a total bath to clean of all the poop. Tuesday we let him have the run of the house and he wasn't to bad, one little pile but no pee. He was so happy to see us when we got home, barking & jumping all over. He is starting to let us know when he needs to go out. He loves walking and loves car rides. We took him to Ottawa last Sunday and introduced him to our daughter and her dog Zoe. It was a nonconfrontational introduction, Zoe is a very active dog and wanted to play but Buddy would just look for someplace to lay down and stay clear of her. We were hoping that Zoe would help bring him out of his shell by playing with him, but that did not happen. Back at home the cat and him just pass each other with little or no reaction between them, although the first night Bailey (cat) tried to go in the cage during the night and Buddy barked at him. We now leave the crate open and he does not like to be put in it, which we do if we find him doing anything we want to correct i.e. digging in the garbage, or potty/paper training, although it has not happened too often yet. He rarely goes to the bathroom indoors but prefers the hardwood floor to the few training pads I have put down for him, we know he is smart so I am hoping it will not take long for him to be totally house trained. He still is alittle nervous any moves towards him and he backs away, with time I am sure that will change especially in light of the drastic change in him since we took him home a little more than a week ago. We were very fortunate to find a new groomer through one of Cindy's co workers, who took us in yesterday for a nice grooming. She had to shave him quite short because of all the matting but as you see in the pictures he's totally different. We have yet to come up with a better name than Buddy, we are hoping that with this hair cut we may see a different name for him. Unbelievable the before and after pictures of him, he does not look like the same dog but believe me he is! He is excellent outside, will not wonder off without a leash and has learned very fast that if he does his job, there is lots of praise and a treat for him, I sometimes think he goes on will just for the treats Ha! Ha! smart dog! We just love him and are so lucky to have found him, thanks so much Michelle for having the confidence in us to allow us to adopt Buddy. His forever family Eric and Cindy

Hi Michelle; Thought you'd like an update on our newest loved one Stanley ( formerly Boris and Ferris ). Stanley has won the hearts of the entire neighbourhood, especially the school kids. He loves to go to the bus stop to see the kids on and off the bus, and even tried to go to school one day on the bus. He's become the king of the house, and through adoption notices the rest of our extended family. He's answering to his new name and we're teaching him some new tricks to go along with his new name. I had him at the vet the Monday following his adoption to take care of his shots. The vet would like to have his records to see when anything else is due. Although She gave Stanley the full work up and found him in great shape. He's not fond of shots, or having his temp. taken. I have been singing the praises of NARC to anyone who will listen, and hope you'll get some business or donations out of it. I'd like to send back the leash and collar to you. We can't thank you enough for the new love of our lives. Louise

Letter from Widget, formely Utica's new family: Hi Michelle Want you to know that "Widget" (aka Utica) is doing wonderful. There have been no issues with my other two dogs at all. She especially loves running with Raven my pudelpointer when we go on hikes. Boy can she run like the wind! Raven is very carefull and gentle with her. When we arent out exercising we have been shopping for coats and sweaters and I have been able to get some very nice warm coats at superpet at great savings. The picture of Widget wearing the rust "coat" is one of her "housecoats" I made from the sleeve of an old turtleneck. The other picture is her new family picture with Raven and Spider my 9 yr old wirehaired dachshund. Thanks for trusting me with this delightful girl. Dorothy

Hi Michelle, Just wanted to let you know that Dash is doing great and he’s a wonderful dog. The kids love him and he has already taken over a part of our bed. I think he really likes his new home and we love having him as part of our family. Thanks for doing what you do!!The Mikkelsens

She is great! We really like her and she is very funny - thank you for such a good girl!

Leslie is such a sweetie, we really find her to have a great personality. Leslie loves our attention! Thanks for her, she is great!